Data Privacy & Student Records Policy

Meritshot Zetta Edutech Private Limited is committed to the responsible collection, storage, use, and protection of student personal data. This section outlines the institute's obligations and the rights of students with respect to their personal information, in alignment with applicable Indian data protection frameworks.

8.1 Data Collected

At the time of enrollment and during the program, Meritshot may collect the following categories of student data:

• Personal identification data — full name, date of birth, photograph, and government-issued identity documents (Aadhaar, PAN, or passport).
• Contact information — email address, phone number, and residential address.
• Educational and professional background — academic qualifications, work experience, and current employment status.
• Financial data — fee payment records, bank details provided for EMI or refund processing (stored in encrypted form and not shared with unauthorized parties).
• Program performance data — attendance records, assessment scores, project submissions, and placement activity logs.
• Technical data — IP address, device type, browser information, and session logs collected through the LMS platform for operational and security purposes.

8.2 Purpose of Data Use

Student data is collected and processed exclusively for the following purposes:

• Program administration — enrollment processing, batch allocation, attendance tracking, and certification issuance.
• Academic evaluation — assessment of performance, feedback delivery, and placement eligibility determination.
• Placement facilitation — sharing of approved student profiles with hiring partners, strictly with the student's explicit consent at the time of placement registration.
• Communication — sending academic updates, policy notifications, promotional information, and placement opportunities via email, SMS, or WhatsApp.
• Legal and regulatory compliance — maintaining records required under applicable tax, corporate, or educational regulations.

8.3 Data Sharing & Third Parties

Meritshot will not sell, rent, or commercially exploit student personal data to any third party. Data may be shared in the following limited and controlled circumstances:

• Hiring partners — student profiles (name, educational background, program performance, and contact details) may be shared with placement hiring partners, strictly for the purpose of facilitating job referrals and interview processes. Students who do not wish to participate in placement activities may opt out.
• Technology and service providers — data may be processed by LMS platform operators, cloud service providers, and payment gateway partners acting as data processors on behalf of Meritshot, under contractual confidentiality obligations.
• Government and regulatory authorities — data may be disclosed to law enforcement agencies or regulatory bodies when required by a valid legal order, warrant, or statutory obligation.
• NSDC / Skill India — where applicable, student data may be submitted to the National Skill Development Corporation or Skill India portal for the purpose of co-branded certification issuance and national skill registry records.

8.4 Student Rights Regarding Personal Data

Students have the following rights with respect to their personal data held by Meritshot:

• Right of Access — students may request a summary of the personal data the institute holds about them by writing to support@meritshot.com.
• Right of Correction — students may request correction of inaccurate or outdated personal information at any time.
• Right of Erasure — upon program completion or withdrawal, students may request deletion of non-essential personal data, subject to the institute's legal obligation to retain certain records for a minimum statutory period.
• Right to Withdraw Consent — students may withdraw consent for the use of their data for marketing or promotional communications at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

8.5 Data Retention

Meritshot retains student records for the following minimum periods:

• Enrollment and identity documents — 5 years from the date of program completion or withdrawal.
• Fee payment and financial records — 8 years, as required under the Income Tax Act, 1961, and Companies Act, 2013.
• Academic and assessment records — 3 years from certification date, to facilitate certificate verification requests.
• Placement activity records — 2 years from the date of placement or last placement interaction.

8.6 Cookies & Platform Data

Meritshot's website and LMS use cookies and tracking technologies for session management and authentication, analytics and usage pattern monitoring (e.g., Google Analytics), and remembering user preferences. Students and visitors may manage cookie preferences through their browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect platform functionality.

8.7 Message Policy

We also reserve the right to send service-related and promotional messages through SMS, WhatsApp, RCS, or phone calls, when required, for the purpose of providing our services, updates, offers, or important account-related information.